Complications
by SecretsWithSouls00
Summary: Aoe Nothcirc is just a girl- or so she thought. What happens when her mind, and world, are ripped apart at the seams? She has a quest to complete, but will she succeed? This story features my own characters, though some Percy Jackson characters will also be in here. Rated T for some violence, language, etc. *DISCONTINUED*
1. Chapter 1

**Hai there! So guys, this is my first fan fiction EVER; I just made an account, and I've always wanted to write about my own demi-gods, so...Well, this happened! I really hope you like it, and I'd appreciate it if you more experienced authors (or even those newbies like me cx) would give me tips and reviews! THANKS!**

My gut clenched as I stared up at the name of the school- Good High School, where 'We make Goode things happen!' I shuffled my feet as I approached the door.

In front of me, several teens chatted; Girls who flipped their hair and laughed too loud and basically were your stereotype 'populars'. I steered clear of them, yanking open the door and slipping inside before they could follow. Rude, sure; But I was in a hurry. Sort of.

I shoved my beloved beanie off my head and stuffed it in my back pocket, lifting my head. In front of me lay a hallway; Purple lockers and purple-er wallpaper, with more cheesy quotes like 'GOODE students succeed!' I chewed my fingernails as I walked, an annoying habit.

The hall was filled with students. They bumped, jostled, and laughed, hurting my ears. I felt like a soccerball. When I finally got to my locker, I struggled to take my bag off without looking awkward. Then, hunching my shoulders, I stared at the lock.

"Okay...Nine...Forty-two...Forty-five..." It didn't open.

My eye twitched. I leaned closer, fiddling with the lock, my fingers slipping. I cursed softly, running a hand through my uncombed pixie cut and glaring at the numbers. I didn't mind being late- I would get in trouble one way or another as an ADHD victim- but I was annoyed. I tried one more time, but got zilch.

I was just about to try yanking it open when a voice from behind me said, "Problem?" I nearly jumped out of my skin, turning. My hand instantly crept into my back-pocket, where I kept my...Reserves. My eyes trailed to meet whoever's had spoken.

It was a boy about my age- 15- with dark blonde hair and playful, sea-green eyes. I stared at him for a moment, squinting. He arched a brow and I instantly returned my gaze to my lock, scowling.

"Yes? No? Maybe so?" His voice was just as teasing as his gaze, but I wasn't falling for it. I clenched my fists and muttered, "Nope."

He studied me before shrugging. "Suit yourself." And then he was gone, dissolved in the crowd.

I eventually got it open, but I was still two minutes late. When I entered the class, the woman teaching looked up at me- An old, shriveled lady with piercing blue-gray eyes and stringy dark hair. I narrowed my eyes down at my desks, fumbling to open my binder without making too much noise.

The lady pursed her lips, still staring at me. "Allie...Notecin?

I didn't look at her, but I imagine she could hear my teeth grinding as I slammed my pencil onto the desk. "AOE. NOTHCIRC." I muttered curtly. She arched two brows, glaring at me. I ignored her.

"Hnn..." She grumbled, before putting down her little old-fashioned, scratched-up clipboard. "Today, you youn'uns will each be examinin' yer own spider..." She scribbled the word 'Arachnid' on the board. For some reason, the girl next to me made a little choking sound, going pale. When the teacher stared at her, though, she quickly looked down.

The girl had tousled blonde hair and silvery eyes, which was cool, because I'd never met anyone with that eye colour before. She took notes as the teacher babbled on, beginning to sketch- Small designs of buildings, fountains, houses. I couldn't understand it from the corner of my eye, but she was a good artist- Almost as good as me.

"Aoe?" I glanced up, my eyebrows knit together. The little old lady was glaring at me. "I said, ma'am, your partner is Ron."

I didn't even know we had partners. I glanced to my other side- My left- and met the eyes of a curly-haired boy with chocolate skin and innocent brown eyes. He waved at me, then shifted his desk closer.

"I'm Ron," He said, unneccassarily. My eye twitched, and I nodded. "Uh-huh."

"So...I suppose we should read the directions?" He leaned over until his shoulder touched mine. Instantly, I scooted my chair away, my expression guarded.

He looked apologetic. "Oh...Sorry. Well, um, it says here...Actually, why don't you read?" He smiled, then shifted the paper over to my desk.

I glared at my feet, clenching my pencil in one hand and fingering my back pocket with the other. "Dyslexic," I muttered.

"Oh..." He said, again. He looked lost. He peeked under my desk, where I had several stacked books- Books on drawing, fantasy, anything but nonfiction. He arched a brow.

"I can still read. It's just difficult. And..Yeah," I finished, lamely.

"Okay," He said slowly, glaring at me. I had a feeling I wasn't very convincing, however true it might be. "I'll go get the spiders."

When he brought them over, I flinched. I stared at the thing- It was alive, crawling around in a little clear plastic container with no lid. It seemed to study me, its hairy legs click-clacking against the bottom of its prison.

I stared back at it, trying to scoot my chair back, but there was another desk behind me. I gulped, my brows drawing together, and stammered, "W-Why don't you study it? I'll..Write stuff down." I tried for a smile, but it came out lopsided, and the corners of my lips twitched.

He hit me with that piercing brown gaze again. "Okay." He picked the thing up by its middle while the legs flailed wildly. I stared at it in utter disgust, gripping my pencil so hard I thought it would snap.

"Mm...Looks like a regular spider to me. Adult, maybe. Female?" He tickled the bottom of it with his finger, and I wanted to retch. I focused on the paper, scribbling down whatever he had said. But my eyes kept flitting around- I blamed it on my ADHD. I stared at the girl, who was paired with another girl with dark brown hair and kaleidoscope eyes who seemed just as disgusted at the creature as she was. They were both pale and poking the thing, muttering about 'Arachne' and 'Children'. I stared at them oddly.

I didn't notice the spider until it sank its fangs into my hand.


	2. Chapter 2

**Hi guys! So I wanted to give a shout-out to VCRx, Who gave me my first review! THANK YOU SO MUCH! It definitely made me smile. And now, we continue...**

Let me get one thing straight: The spider didn't actually bite me, but it sure _felt_ like it did. Either way, my reaction was instantaneous. It was like the time I had woken up to discover a little fly right on my face- I screamed, flailed my arms wildly, and fell back onto my butt. Ron was there in an instant.

"Hey! It's just a spider! Woah- Stop-" By now my screams had faded to colorful curses. The spider lay a few feet away, thoroughly smushed. I glared at it, hunching my shoulders. I realized I was still sitting down on the floor- and everyone was staring at me, including the teacher. "Ms...Nothcirc, was it? The POINT of this project was not to kill the spiders." Her wrinkly lips pulled down in a frown as she scuttled over to me. "I think you'll be excused from _this_ project, young lady."

Great. First day of school, and already some little old woman had marked me- probably in big, bright red letters- as 'TROUBLEMAKER'. I grit my teeth to keep from making some snide comment about her hair and ignored Ron's pitying look and his outstretched hand to help me up. When I had got to my feet, I cast one more glare at him- I loved blaming things on people- before stomping over to the back of the room.

The teacher- Ms. Jonas- Had two desks in the back of the room just for people who had trouble working together, like me. I slunk into my seat, but it wasn't long before I was moving again- Making music with my pencil, my eyes flitting about the room. I hated sitting still, like most kids with ADHD. Ms. Jonas gave me a long, squinty glare, but I pretended not to notice, slumping down in my seat and even daring to put my feet on the desk- just a little bit. After that, I felt like she was trying to burn a hole in my face, so I focused on other things, like the girl that had been sitting next to me.

I guess she was paranoid or something, because she absolutely refused to touch the spider- waving her hand and scrunching her shoulders and basically making a gigantic deal. Of course, I had insectophobia, so I didn't judge her too hard.

The next four classes went by smoothly, more or less. In third period, I got called out for cursing a kid that had stepped on my binder- and then in fourth, I'd 'accidently' slammed the door in some dude's face for him insulting my hair. It's not that was I was vain or anything; I just had dignity.

By the time lunch rolled around my dark eyes were stormy with hate and I clenched my money in my fist until my fingers ached. I ignored most of the people who talked to me- Which actually was just Ron. He chattered in my ear the whole time I was in the line, advising me about the food, what not to get, and how much everything cost.

I wasn't really listening. Instead, I scanned the cafeteria, my brows pinched. It was decent-sized, I guess; Banners looped over the rails on the ceilings, and kids chattered happily, jostling each other and poking their forks in each other's faces and whatnot. I tried my best to avoid them all. Ron insisted I came to his table, which made me pretty ticked, 'cause I had been eyeing a perfect empty table smack dab in one of the corners of the room.

When I sat down, my plate rattled a bit too hard, spilling my fork over my seat. I tried not to let my eyes flare as I knelt, stiffly, and smacked it back onto the table. The people at the table grew silent.

One of the girls, the one in my first period with the interesting grey eyes, studied me as if trying to analyze my personality or something. I grew uncomfortable, so I stuck my cap back on my head and sank lower in my seat.

"So...Aoe, is it? How's the new school?" It was finally another girl who spoke up; She had pretty green eyes and straight black hair.

"Ace. I prefer Ace." My voice was quiet, even a little moody, but she didn't seem to notice. She leaned forward, cradling her chin in one fist.

"Well, howdy there, Ace. I'm Ebony. That one- Blondy- Is Annabeth. I guess you've met Ron already. He's pretty annoying, eh?" She gave me a lopsided grin that made me feel a teensy bit better, but I still didn't smile back.

"Now, Ebony, that's not nice. Just skip over me, will you?" The boy I'd met first- blonde hair, green eyes- grinned, gesturing down at himself like he was some kind of hotshot. I immediately didn't like him.

"I'm Filip," He drawled, eyeing me up and down. I curled my lip in a little sneer as he added, "As in...F-i-l, not P-h-i-l."

"We've met," I muttered, playing around with my mashed potatoes. I was a picky eater, so I scooped the vegetables and onions away from the soup as I ate.

He wouldn't stop staring. "That's right, you were that girl who couldn't open her locker, eh? I'm ace at those, you know." Then he grinned, as if he'd just made a clever joke.

"Ha...Ha." I coughed into my fist, then kept eating.

Everyone was silent for the rest of lunch.

 **So, guys, this chapter is kind of boring; Sorry! I'll try to update again at least in the next two days. I'm still working on the plot, and how she'll be entered into the world of demigods...But I sure have an idea! Please review! Souls, out!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Another shout-out to VCRx, who gave me my second review! You guys have no idea how happy it makes me to see two reviews for two chapters! Makes me smile. c: I hope you enjoy this chapter. The last one was sort of boring, sorry!**

For the next few days, I felt like I was being stalked.

It wasn't just Ron. I felt like every room I walked into, every time I opened the doors to the school, someone was watching me. I'd always whip around with a sneer and a clenched fist, but no one was there. Once in first period I actually caught that girl- Annabeth, was it?- Staring at me with her cold gray eyes, her brows pinched as if she were thinking hard. Just as quickly as my gaze met mine she returned to her work as if nothing had happened.

It was just before lunch when I saw the man.

Everything about him looked _wrong;_ his slicked-back hair, his perfectly tailored suit, the gold-and-black wristwatch he wore on one hand. His eyes were a sharp, frosty green, and the moment my gaze met his, he gave me a cold, thin smile that made my gut do a hyperactive backflip in my chest- The bad kind.

So I wasn't surprised when I looked up to see a purple slip on my desk- calling me to the office. I slipped my pencil into my back pocket- why, I don't know- and slipped out the door, dread curdling in my gaze.

What I saw stopped me in my tracks. The man stood dead-center in the middle of the hallway, his legs spread and arms crossed low at his sides like he was in line for something. He was staring right at me, those frosty green eyes seeming to know the path to my soul.

"The heck do you want?" I was surprised my voice was so angry, so low. But the man only continued to stare at me. Then he tilted his head, and his pale, chapped lips spread in that creepy little smile again. I wanted to run, but I had no doubt he'd catch me.

And then the weirdest thing happened. He shoved his hand into his long, ugly overcoat, his gaze still fixed on me- but when he pulled it out, there wasn't a gun or a knife in it, as I'd been expecting. Instead, his nails had expanded- into claws, claws that grew and grew until they were as long as my hand. I stumbled back, stammering a curse, but he was way ahead of me. His skin began to warm and shrink, bulging and twisting with sickening pops and groans. There was a horrible _riiiiiiip_ as two wings sprouted from his back. But that wasn't the weirdest part.

His face began to change. His cheekbones grew plump, his brows arched, and his lips puffed until he had the expression of a woman. By now I had fallen onto my butt, stumbling over all the curses I could think of and at the same time groping for the pencil in my back-pocket.

The woman- that's what she was now- Had sprouted feathers all over her skin; her arms, her hands- now talons- and her feet. She crouched in front of me, tilting her head and giving an unearthly shriek that matched my own high-pitched scream of terror.

She lunged, her wings spread and her golden-brown hair fanning out behind her as she prepared to strike. My ADHD saved me as I rolled to one side with another unusually high-pitched scream. Before I could pop to my feet, she pounced, her wings snapping open and flushing air into my face as she sank her talons into my chest.

My vision grew blurry. My head knocked against the tile with a dull 'thump' and I muttered something brave like 'Uhnn...' The harpy cackled, tilting her head in that weird way birds do. "You won't escape this time, half-blood..." Her voice hurt my ears, it was so high-pitched. Just as she raised one talon- hand- fist? To strike me one last time, her green eyes widened.

She bucked once, then rolled off of me, her lips opening in a surprised 'Oh'. Three golden arrows sprouted from her middle, their tips gleaming wickedly with blood. I stared at them in horror, my mouth opening and closing. I tried to scream, but it came out as more of this whimpering, hiccuping whine.

Ebony stood over me, her green eyes glowing with hate. She spat on the harpy's limp side, her lips curled in a smirk. "Beat that, chicken-face."

Now _that's_ when I passed out.


	4. Chapter 4

**Sorry for the short chapter three! It really does seem like a lot more when you type it, huh? I'll try to make my chapters a lot longer in the future.**

 _Unknown's POV_

I was running for my life.

Behind me, I could hear the roar of the Cyclops as they stomped after me, their feet crushing entire cars and garbage cans. I dove to one side, slamming myself against the wall, as a delivery truck sailed past me, spinning end-over-end through the air before crashing ahead with a large _boom._ I hear the whoosh of air and fire flares around me as the tank explodes- but I manage to stumble past, my vision blurry and my arm numb where I crashed into the alley wall.

I glance behind me, forcing my drunken legs to run faster. The harsh, golden light of the street lamps illuminated the three Cyclopes faces horribly- Their single eyes glowing with hatred, and their meaty legs pumping them far faster than I could ever run. I knew they'd catch me eventually.

I whipped my head around just in time to avoid smashing into a pile of trash. I hurled myself over it, landing harshly- My leg buckled and I went down, my face slamming against the concrete so hard I saw stars.

A moan escaped my lips and I clenched empty air with my fists, dragging myself up again. My jeans were torn and bloodied, but that didn't matter. I flung one out for balance as I stumbled up, my eyelids heavy. I forced myself to run.

Another object- probably another truck- _whooshed_ past my head. I stumbled sharply to one side and it exploded to the wall on my right, blasting shrapnel and heat full-force into my face. I barely managed to avoid being speared through with a piece of glass- it clattered against the wall and then broke with a sharp _clink,_ the fractured pieces reflecting my face- my eyes were wild with fear, cuts marred my face, and my upper lip was unusually fat. I tore my gaze away from the image and pushed on.

 _Just a little farther._ My brain chants as I pump my arms and legs faster, even as my vision begins to haze with exhaustion. My entire body feels like molten lead and almost every limp throbs painfully, sending blood rushing to my head. I can hear my wheezing, choking gasps even through the roars of the monsters behind me and the crackling fire of the damage they've already caused.

I'm so panicked I don't even notice the girl until I slam into her full-speed, sending us both sprawling in a heap of moans and _ows_ and tangled limbs.

I crawl out from under her, shoving her harshly to one side. I wasn't in the mood for sympathy- I rolled to one side and forced my lungs to suck in air, my head spinning. I knew I had to get up- but then, did I? What was the point in running? The monsters would catch me eventually. They were stronger, faster, taller- Savages. I had no chance.

I let my head thump against the concrete, my breathing shallow. My vision goes in and out- black, then grey, then a mush of colors and shapes that seem entirely incomprehensible. I squeeze my eyes shut and open them again, slowly, but the results are the same.

I think the girl is calling my name, but all I can see of her are a spray of freckles across her nose and wild cinnamon-brown hair. Her green eyes are wide with fear, and her tone is scared- even angry. But I still don't get up. Instead, I close my eyes, my lips curling into a small grin. _I can't hear you,_ I think. It's childish, but my brain doesn't seem to know that, or care.

I feel a sharp sting on my cheek and my eyes fly open. She- She _slapped_ me. Her brows are pinched and she curls her fingers around my arm- my good one, thank the gods- and begins to drag me up. But she's much smaller and shorter than me, and my body only slumps to the ground again.

Her touch leaves my arm and I'm left feeling cold. She rises and I hear the slap of sneakers against pavement- running footsteps. She had the sense to leave me- finally- and I let out a breathy sigh.

But when I roll my head forward, my eyes trailing to the sky, she's not running the direction I'd assumed. Instead, I can see her sprinting _towards_ the Cyclops, waving her arms and screaming insults that are a muted buzz in my ears.

 _She's crazy,_ I think. _Well, so are you,_ my brain replies helpfully. I blink hard, but she's still running. And then I'm sure I hit my head too hard, because what happens next should be virtually impossible.

Just as the Cyclopes takes his first swing, his spiked wooden club zooming towards her face, she pushes upward, gripping the narrow end with one hand and flipping to kick him in the face. He stumbles backward, his weapon sweeping the air wildly, and she grips his arm and swings around his face, stabbing something sharp- I think a dagger- into the back of his neck. He crumples to the ground, his single russet eye rolling into his head.

The other monster takes a swing at her, but she's ready. She vaults straight over the club and flips once, landing on his foot. He howls in pain and drops the club, his leg snapping outward in a kick- But by then she's clinging to his shirt, and before he can even cry out, a second dagger imbeds itself in his side.

The Cyclopes bellows in pain and grips her in one hand, his fingers closing into a fist- Except she's not there. Now she's scuttling up his arm, and then she's at his neck, and she leaps into the air and stabs the giant right in his bloody eye.

His roar shakes the walls and makes my head throb and my ears ring. As he falls backwards, he hits the ground with a muted _thud,_ creating a huge cloud of dust. When it clears, though, I can see the girl sprinting back towards me, her gaze determined and her bloodied daggers in each hand.

 _She's going to kill me,_ I think. _I'm going to die._

She hurls a knife in my direction, and all I can do is stare as- In slow motion- it sails towards my face. I curl into a ball, squeezing my eyes shut to wait for the pain- but when I open them again, its still spinning towards me.

I lurch to one side, but there's no need. The knife spins over my head and imbeds itself in a third Cyclope's head- right above his single eye- sending him crashing to the ground. My head snaps back and I stare at the girl in horror.

And then her second knife hurtles towards me, and my vision goes black.


	5. Chapter 5

**Hi guys! So I spent a day or two thinking of a prophecy/plot...And...I THINK I GOT IT! Also, reviews are always appreciated!**

 _Ace's POV_

I woke up being stared at, which I _hate._

I hated it even more, since Reid was the one doing it.

He sat in a LA-Z-Boy, his arms crossed behind his head. He fiddled with a toothpick on his tongue, one blonde brow raised. As I sat up, my eyes flashing with discomfort, he broke into an annoying grin.

"Took you long enough." His voice is almost a sneer.

I stared around- plain, creamy walls, a simple bed and chair, and a cheap wooden dresser on which there sat a glass of..lemonade?

"That's not for you," He drawled, leaning forward to scoot the cup away. I glared at him and inched back myself, my shoulders hunched and my eyes narrowed like a wolf's.

"Where am I?" I'm surprised at how hoarse my voice sounds. I clear my throat and try again. "Why aren't I at the hospital?"

"The hospital wouldn't of done you anything, with what you saw." His voice is serious now, and he's frowning, his blue-green eyes suddenly intense. His gaze swirls with power, and I break the stare first, my eyebrows pinched.

The memories come back in fragments, and its a couple minutes before I can piece them together. I take a sharp intake of breath, clenching the sheets until my knuckles go white, and when I glance back up, he's still staring at me.

"What-"

"Harpy," He answers flatly, spitting out the toothpick and catching it in one hand. He rests it on the dresser- which I find disgusting- before turning that sea-green gaze back on me.

"They're bird-women. Supposed to carry souls, punish the evil.." He's still staring at me, and now I get defensive. I sit straight up and fix him with my best glare.

"I'm not evil, and you can stop trying to scare me with that- that soul-crap." I don't sound very brave, but I clench my fists, my shoulders tense.

He hums under his breath. "Ares, maybe?"

My eyes sting, and I don't know why. Maybe its because Im so confused. "Just tell me what's going on," I murmur, turning away from him and staring at the sheets. My hair hangs over my eyes depressingly.

Guilt flashes across his gaze, but its quickly replaced by something else- maybe disgust. "I should go get Ebony," He mutters, and then he sweeps out the door.

 _Ebony's POV_

I almost skewer Reid with a golden arrow when he appears, which really is a pity. Pity that it didn't dent his face, I mean.

He lurches to one side just as the tip zooms past him, literally ruffling his hair. His gaze snaps to me, and he frowns, hunching one shoulder. "Watch it, will you?" He mutters, then gives me a sideways glance. "She's awake. I'd go in and talk to her."

"Too bad you're not me," I tease.

He only rolls his eyes, his lips tugging down, and then he turns away and he's gone.

I slide into the doorway, my brows arched and mouth open for a friendly greeting. But then my gaze lands on the bed, and I freeze, taking a shuddering breath and clenching one fist.

She's gone.

 _Ace's POV_

Reid studies me with that piercing gaze one more time before he's out the door.

He doesn't close it, but that's fine. I spring out of the bed like a grasshopper and nearly buckle immediately- I hadn't stood up in at least a day. I stumble and catch myself on the dresser, my head spinning.

I scan it quickly- Glass of lemonade, one gross toothpick, and a pencil that I'm certain is mine- It probably rolled away when I was attacked.

I run through the memories in my head- The sharp, beautiful features of the bird-woman, her wings flaring open as she lunged. I shake my head, shivering, before shoving the pencil into my back-pocket- You never know.

I'm not willing to break out the window. I don't know if these guys have surveillance- I could be on camera right now, for all I know. So I slither out the door.

I glance around the hall before running toward the door- thankfully, its not that complicated a route. I squint into the sunlight and clench my shirt, feeling dizzy as the sun hits me. I'm filled with a rush of power- for just a moment, my head is clear. And then that feeling falls apart and I'm left feeling nauseous, confused, and tired all over again.

I shake my head to clear it and try to gauge where I am. It's a camp, I think- Kids mill around in a strange combination of orange T-shirts and surprisingly real-looking armour, laughing and jostling. There are weirder things, though- Like a girl that literally rises from the water, her eyes glistening and her body seeming to glow with a soft blue light. I look away quickly, feeling sick.

These guys aren't too good at security. There's no guards- No one even glances at me when I slip behind the house, my heart rocketing up and down in my chest like its trying to break out. My palms are sweaty and my tousled hair sticks to my face. I lick my lips once, my eyes darting around like a caged animal's, and then I run.

I've always been fast. I lower my head as I sprint past the cabins- Wooden, metal, even one that's glowing silver- but I don't stop. By the time I look back, the campers are ants on a hill, the cabins the size of doll houses. I hadn't noticed it before, but in one corner stands a glittering pine tree- And resting on one of the lowest branches is a golden blanket that glows with light even as far away as I am. I study it for a moment, trying to catch my breath, before I turn towards the city.

I have no idea where I am. I've always lived in the quiet, run-down section of New York, where not everyone on your street is a thief and you don't have to sleep with a shotgun hanging above the kitchen sink.

I stare out at the winding, shadowed streets of the city. Cars honk- dogs bark- children scream with laughter. It's all depressingly normal, seeing as I've just been attacked by a creature that shouldn't exist and escaped from a camp where girls walked out of the river with perfectly dry hair, like something from _Teen Beach 2._

I have to take a moment to think. They'll be looking for me, that's for sure- True, their security was crap, but I doubt they liked their...Captives, running off.

 _Captive._

 _Am I a fugitive now? A prisoner on the run? Or maybe people run away all the time, and they won't notice._

 _They kidnapped me._

The realization hits me hard and fast. They hadn't taken me home, or to the ambulance, or even to the nearest health center. No, they'd brought me to a strange camp in a strange room with people I _knew._ People I sat with at lunch.

 _They've been stalking me,_ I think. _They're probably socio-paths._

Which each realization I get angrier. My brow furrows and I want to punch something- Instead, I tilt my face towards the sky, gritting my teeth and taking a breath through my nose.

 _Think, Ace. You have no weapons; No food or water; And you're utterly, hopelessly lost._

I'm snapped out of my thoughts when, out of the corner of my eye, I see something flash- Not much, really, just a red blur. My head snaps around and I fumble for my pencil, which I realize a second too late is stupid.

There's a flare of heat and something speeds past me so fast I'm knocked into a three-sixty spin and land on my butt. I scramble back in shock, my eyes darting around furiously, my breath coming in unusually loud gasps. It's the second time I've been attacked, and I'm afraid- Purely, entirely afraid. I think I'm going into shock, because I freeze just as I spot my attacker.

It's a girl- No more than fourteen, with pretty auburn curls and an innocent expression. But there's something wrong with her face- Something slightly off that's not noticeable until she spreads her rosy lips into a grin, exposing two blood-red fangs.

The first thing that runs through my head is, _vampire._ But that's eliminated as her image melts away- her curls lift and twist until they're literally on fire, crackling around her head as she tips back her head and runs her tongue over her lips. Her freckles melt away until her skin is white as a pearl. But then I see her eyes- they're blood-red, glowing with malice, and when my gaze trails down her neck, her arms, her waist, I finally see her _legs._

One bronze, one furry- topped with a hoof that click-clacks as she begins to walk towards me.

I fumble for my pencil, holding it in one hand like a knife and spreading my legs slightly. If I'm going down, I know it will be with a fight.

She bares her teeth at me, and I wait for the cliche- For her to suddenly be pinning me down, her teeth at my neck. But she only keeps walking, and I realize that with legs like those, she won't be running anywhere.

That makes me feel a teensy bit better, but then that comes crashing down when she speaks.

"You'll make a tasty one, won't you?" She purrs, and tilts her head like a cat. "More handsome than most," She croons. Her body begins to flicker between the innocent, red-haired girl and the one with the goat leg. It's confusing, but then something hits me- She called me _handsome._

"Tiffany will be so proud," She mused. "You'll definitely be appetizing. A bit on the scrawny side..."

"But those are always the fighters, aren't there?" Her lips, now blood-red, pull into a little pout. I realize I've been frozen the whole time she's been speaking, and now she's only a foot or so in front of me.

Her pointed nails _shing_ into claws and she cackles with glee. "I can _taste it..."_

She's still moving towards me, but I'm frozen, my expression dazed. She's close enough now that she lifts one bony hand and presses it to my face, cupping my cheek. Her voice is sweet, like water.

"Don't...Move.."

Now she takes one more step, until we're nose-to-nose. She studies me for a moment almost with pity, but it evaporates into greed when her gaze trails to my neck.

"This won't hurt a bit," She assures me, curling her other hand around my left arm. I'm breathing shallowly, my lips open to say something- probably _no-_ but her voice is so _innocent._

She can hear my pulse throbbing in my neck. And then- Just as she her fangs graze my throat- I stab her right in the back.


	6. Chapter 6

**I'M SO PROUD! Last chapter was 1,960 words exactly! I don't think any of my** **chapters** **were that long! Hopefully I can get into the habit of making them like that; At least 2500 each. It's a long shot from where I am, but practice makes perfect! Also, reviews are ALWAYS appreciated!**

 _Ace's POV_

The good news: My pencil hit exactly where I wanted it to- The small of her back. I hear a sickening noise that I immediately know can only be the lead tip piercing flesh. The vampire- That's what I'll call her- Her grip loosens on my arm and she stumbles back with my pencil sticking straight through her gut. She stares down at it in surprise, maybe horror, and a wave of guilt and dread smacks me in the face like a bat. I wait for the cliche- For her to gaze up at me with those red eyes before crumpling to the ground, jerking once before laying still.

The bad news: That's not what happens at all.

She grips the pencil with one hand and wrenches it out with a horrible sucking sound that makes me want to throw up on the spot. My knees wobble as she examines it in disgust- the tip now broken, probably somewhere inside of her, and the jagged edges painted with blood. Then she tosses it to one side like its nothing more than a fly. Her gaze rises slowly until its fixed on me, and she looks so absolutely _pissed-off_ that my knees buckle and I take a step back, my heart rattling in my chest.

Crap.H

The intense hatred in her gaze melts to something more like amusement, but that only makes it worse. Her lips spread in that weird grin again, and when she speaks, her voice sure isn't sweet anymore.

"Now now...You didn't think I could be killed with a _stick,_ did you?" Her tone is almost daring, like she wants me to say something smart like, _I've got a lot more up my sleeve than that, vampire-lady!_

I disappoint her greatly. My lips are still open in a little _'o'_ of schock, and my eyes are as wide as saucers. Her expression morphs into one of disappointment.

"I expected more, Ace," She hummed. Panic rockets up my spine and leaves me shivering- _How does she know my name?_

"It could of been _quick,"_ She mutters, almost to herself. "It could of been _painless,_ for poor Zeus's sake."

I know I have to act before she realizes I'm still here. I glance around in a panic, feeling numb. _Rocks...Air...Two fists._

The _thing's_ talons clenched and unclenched. She was beginning to turn toward me, still muttering under her breath, her blood-red eyes wide with anticipation.

I kneel slowly, my hand shaking as I grope for rocks on the dry, grassy turf. I clench one in my fist, but between my irrational panic and the sweat on my palms, it clunks back to earth.

I take a deep breath, but that doesn't help. I lean forward on one knee and grip the rock again. The vampire stands only one or two yards away, hissing to herself like she has a split-personality.

 _Crunch._ Dirt crumbles beneath my sneaker.

The girl freezes, and I can imagine her red gaze flaring with surprise. I make a split-second decision and dive forward, clenching the rock in one fist. I'm running before she can turn around, my feet slipping on rocks- And by the time her gaze lands on me, I make a desperate lunge.

I see it in slow-motion: Her eyes widening as, with one hand, I grip her neck and tackle her to the ground. Time resumes its pace when she takes a large, wheezing gasp as the breath is knocked out of her. I slam one hand onto her chest and fumble with the rock in the other, my vision red with panic. My hand is just lowering when hers comes up.

She hits me in the face so hard I see stars- I roll off of her, heaving like a fish out of water. My eyes roll back on my head as she presses her talons into my hand- the rock hits the floor with a depressing _clunk._ She draws one knee up to my stomach and bares her teeth at me like a feral animal- And then she tilts her head back, ready for a killing bite.

I headbutt her, snapping my face forward so that my forehead collides with hers. She falls off of me with a painful grunt, and I scramble to my feet, struggling to maintain my balance. My movements are sluggish, though- and I'm just rising out of a crouch when I feel her claws, cold and sharp, dig into the tender skin on the back of my leg.

I cry out, collapsing onto my side. She flips me over with one hand, holding me by the throat- Her flaming hair causes uncomfortable heat along my neck, and I splutter for breath.

"I've got you now, _handsome."_ Her voice is a purr as she slides one hand up my arm almost lovingly. I want to barf and cry and _b_ _reath_ and cough, but that's not possible, so I just spit in her face.

She recoils with a hiss and I bring one leg forward, my knee slamming her straight in the nose. Her head whips to the side and I roll out from beneath her, beginning to crawl away like a madman.

She springs upward like a cat and slams my face to the ground, nearly knocking me out right then and there. I feel her cold hand on my cheek and her knee on my back- All I can do is spit out dirt and blood. Above me, she cackles, her eyes almost neon red with excitement.

I'm out of tricks- and stamina. I can feel my heartrate stuttering, and I claw the ground weakly as my vision goes red, then grey. Her laughter becomes a dull ringing in my ears. I don't even flinch when I feel her teeth sink into my skin.

The life drains out of me slowly. My limbs go numb and my brain sort of folds over, like I don't need it anymore. Somewhere in the back of my mind, I can still feel pain- like liquid fire racing through my veins, from my neck all the way to my toes. My limbs tingle and then grow limp. I feel my eyelids flutter and I close them. _This is kind of nice._

The vampire aboves me unlatches herself from my neck, looking puzzled. Her look of confusion morphs into something so deeply engraved with disgust that I close my eyes.

She presses one hand to her stomach, her brows pinched. And then something else happens- Something that I know from the moment I see the fear in her eyes that it will stick with me forever.

"Nonononooooo..."

She bucks once, then collapses onto her side, moaning. At first I think she's faking, but it's not like I can do anything about it- So I just stare at her with hazy vision, feeling the blood run down my neck in slow-motion. But she doesn't get up- Her fists clench and she grips the rocks until her moans grow to screams.

The girl rocks back and forth, still clutching her stomach. She's hiccuping, her eyes rolled all the way back in her head- Her lips are open in a silent scream of agony. She lays like that, unmoving, and it takes me a long time to realize she's dead.

I let my eyes close for the second time in two days.

Unknown's _POV_

My vision fades from black to red- and then my eyes flutter open, and my chest jerks as I take a deep breath.

The girl in front of me, sitting on the bed, doesn't even flinch. She just glances up from her tablet- _Tablet?_ Her eyes are shockingly green, like freshly fallen leaves. She has a spray of freckles across her nose and wild, cinnamon-brown hair. Random tufts stick out here and there like a bird's nest.

"You're awake." Her voice is flat, maybe even a little angry. She swings her legs from the edge of the bed and sits cross-legged in front of me, frowning.

I reply with something extremely engaging like, "Uuh?"

She rolls her eyes and then snaps the tablet shut. "Do you remember why those things are after you? This is _important."_ She says it like she's talking to a little kid- _Now now, Johnny, this is important._

"Who are you?" I sit up straight, shoving the blankets to one side and swiping a hand over my eyes.

She narrows her eyes like I've just asked a stupid question. "Amber. Amber Rayes, second-generation demi-god, grand-daughter of Demeter, goddess of the harvest."

I stare at her dumbly, and I can imagine drool trailing down one side of my mouth. "Say that again?"

I swear I can hear her teeth grinding. "Just call me Amber."

I'm still proccessing, though. "Isn't Demeter, like...Peaceful? And..If you're her grand-daughter..Your parents were demi-gods?"

"Yes."

"And they were both children of Demeter?"

She scowls. "Of course not. My father was a son of Athena, but her children usually don't inherit powers. I got my fighting from her, though."

"Sweet."

Her gaze darkens, and suddenly it reminds me more of poisoned acid then a few flimsy leaves. "You haven't answered my question. Why were those things after you? Cyclopes don't just blunder after demigods like you and I. They're supposed to be on _our_ side, for Zeus's sake." She glares at me like its all my fault. I hope it isn't.

When I still don't answer, she runs a hand through her hair and, faster then I can blink, weaves it into a braided knot on one side of her head. She glances at my gaping expression and scoffs.

"Well? If you won't answer me, we might as well eat. I think we have a long way to go."

She doesn't wait for me to follow as she walks out of the room.

 **Hi guys! A lot of tension this happen; I wonder what killed that vampire? Actually, I know, but you guys don't, do you? Hehe..**

 **Who's Amber? Is she a friend or foe? Hey, I just realized that we don't know our 'Unknown person's name, do we? Meh, hopefully I can squeeze that in next chapter. Soul out, and you guys know I appreciate reviews and criticism! See ya!**


	7. Chapter 7

**Hi guys! So last chapter was, again, one of my longer chapters. I'm going to try to make my chapters at LEAST 2,000 words from now on! Also, thanks for all those reviews! They really do make me happy. c:**

 _Ace's POV_

I didn't know you could dream when you were unconscious, but thats exactly what happened to me.

I was on a hill- The grass was damp and black, like water rippling the breeze. Mist swirled around me, coating the thin brown trees and leaving my feeling sticky- like I was being watched. It had to be a dream, but then again, none of my dreams had ever been this vivid. I could smell the peaty earth and the sharp odor of a coming rain; I could feel the mist clinging to my skin like small droplets of water, just enough to make me uncomfortable.

And so I took a step forward, gravel crunching beneath my shoes.

"Hello?"

"Greetings, Daughter Of Plague, Bringer of Lies..." A voice shook the landscape. I hadn't noticed it before, but there was wildlife- ravens cawed in the skies and frogs croaked from the gloom. Now all that went silent as the voice spoke- A voice filled with so much raw _power_ and _greed_ it left be shaking.

I couldn't see whoever it was speaking, but you know how you tell a joke and you know someone's smiling when they answer? That's how I felt when I heard it again.

"You disappoint me, little half-blood. Where is your bravado? Your..Fire, as the brave satyr put it?" The chuckling grew to a roar that rattled my brain my skull and forced me to crouch, squeezing my eyes shut.

I didn't understand- Not what a satyr was, or a half-blood, or even what the hell 'Bringer of Lies' meant. I certainly didn't lie _t_ _hat_ much. Not really.

"Come, demigod," The voice taunted. "Play your little games and swing your little swords...And you may have defeated Gaea, but what of her children? _"_

Just the sound of the name made the earth quake- The clouds grew dark and beneath me, the ground trembled with something like rage. The mist parted, and what I saw was not a giant, or a wolf, or anything like that. Instead, a woman knelt, bound in chains- A mane of gold hair tumbled down her back and her rosy lips were pressed together in concentration. Ghosts swirled around her, flickering in and out of existence- All the ravens and frogs and even a weasel (Where had that come from?) Swarmed around her, chittering and croaking and weaving in and out of her chains like water.

It was the oddest sight I'd ever seen. The woman's shoulders drew back and she lifted her chin, and I realized she was chanting- A language I knew but didn't. Her voice was strong and clear, and with each word the mist swirled thicker and faster- Enveloping her all the way up to her chin and snaking out in tendrils to wrap around the animals that had begun to flicker like the ghosts surrounding them.

The woman's chanting died down until her voice was a croak. Her shoulders slumped again and her lips closed- As if by magic, the mist lowered again, settling over the ground like low clouds.

I hadn't moved, but maybe she heard me breathing. She craned her neck, and her eyes were white, then green, then pink- A kaleidoscope of colors that made me dizzy and horribly afraid.

She opened her lips once more, but I knew from the fear in her gaze that it was to warn me, not curse me.

"Cheese."

 _What?  
_

Too late, I opened my mouth for a question- But my vision dimmed, swirling until the landscape and the woman was nothing but a massive blur. Searing heat burned my eyelids- _Eyelids?_ And I realized I was awake.

I peeled my eyes open, and the scene in front of me was so different from the one in my dream that I immediately closed them again, my heart pounding.

When I opened them again, the light filtering through the window made me squint. As soon as my vision adjusted I realized I was in the same room I'd woken up in earlier. I had no idea how long I'd been out, but it was obviously morning.

A boy leaned over me, murmuring in a voice so different from the voice in my dream that I instantly relaxed. He was speaking in a different language then English, but I still understood it, even though I'd never bothered to learn any other dialect.

Light swirled around him, pouring from his fingers and wrapping around me. I didn't feel like the woman in the dream, though, with the mist; This light was warm and buttery, making me feel calm. With each word he spoke I felt a little better; My limbs came back into feeling, my skin felt less like a volcano and more like a warm summer, and the claw marks from before melted away and smoothed over like paper.

His eyes fluttered open, and I realized how absolutely _drained_ he looked. His shoulders were slumped and he had bags under his eyes, but when my gaze met his, they were so startlingly blue- Like the sky- that I had to gasp.

His lips curled into a smile. "Hi there..You're finally awake. I'm Will Solace." He held out his hand, and when I shook it, it was warm. I only nodded curtly to him, though- No smiles yet.

"I'm the main healer here," He continued. "My father is..Well, I'll let Chiron explain. Here, can you stand?"

I ignored his outstretched hand, peeling off the covers and coming to my feet. My knees were wobbly, like jelly, and I almost fell. He caught me by one arm and guided me towards the door.

"I can make it from here, thanks," I muttered, tugging my elbow from his palm and scooting towards the door. I stepped outside and was met with the same sight as the day before:

Kids of all ages wandered aimlessly, opening doors and calling jokes and generally having a good time. This time I noticed something else; Not all of their shirts were orange. Some were purple, like grape juice- They wore armour and belts and helmets as if they were dressed for war. In fact, on one side of the camp, two of the 'campers' sparred; Orange vs purple. A girl with stringy blonde hair and hazel eyes whirled and stabbed, but the guy in the purple was just as good- He dodged to one side, laughing as he blocked her every blow. Off to my right, fields of strawberries stretched into the distance, sending the smell of ripe fruit and dirt. A few girls crouched near the plants, waving their hands and whispering in low voices as if coaxing them; They stroked the leaves tenderly, and like magic, they grew- Spiraling upward and practically exploding with lime-green strawberries.

I felt a little overwhelmed- or maybe that was just my wounds acting up. I turned back to Will, clenching my fists. "Just..Just take me where we're going," I say in a tight voice.

Will looked a little hurt, but I didn't have time for that. Finally he shook his head, the dazed, ridiculously happy look leaving his eyes. "Follow me," He murmured.

I trailed after him, and I couldn't help but let my gaze wander. Rows of cabins seemed to trap me in on each side- Each looking completely different from the other, which somehow irked me. One was crisscrossed with glowing runes that made my head spin. Another glowed silver. A third looked like a military camp, set with barbed wire and a stuffed boar right above the doorway.

Will followed my gaze. "You might be living there soon," He murmured, then continued walking.

When we entered the office- Thats what it looked like, with its brick fireplace and long desk overflowing with papers- The shadows unfolded and a man with a bushy beard and kind, brown eyes appeared.

"Greetings, young one," He murmured. His voice was soft but firm, and filled with intelligence. I dipped my head to him without thinking about it- And then he stepped into the light, and I tripped back onto my butt, stammering bloody curses.

Above the fireplace, the head of a leopard _growled_ at me, its eyes flaring. Now I was sure I'd have a heart attack. I scrambled back on my butt, still stammering and spluttering, waving a finger from the leopard and then to the- The _thing,_ my voice unusually high-pitched.

The man looked down at himself, his tail swishing as if in concern. Yeah, you heard me. _Tail._ The dude was a horse from the waist-down.

"Chiron, I thought you agreed not to show yourself to the newcomers," Will chided gently. Chiron blinked. "My apologies. My memory is fuzzy these days..." He trailed off, frowning.

Meanwhile I was still in cardiac arrest. My chest heaved and I kept blinking like I had sand in my eyes. _"_ You're...You're a pony," I squeaked.

The man's brow furrowed. "Centaur, dear. Half-horse, half-man. There is no _pony_ in that equation."

My face turned green.

Chiron didn't seem to notice. He rummaged around in his shirt-pocket and when he took his hand out, in it was not a sword, or a ball of fire, or some creepy-cool thing like that.

Instead, he gripped a Snausage between two fingers. Gingerly, he tossed it into the air, where the leopard-head snapped it up. It licked its lips, its eyes bright with delight. I knew I'd never pet a cat again.

"Will, bring me my wheelchair, will you?" Will bowed and scurried off. Chiron turned his gaze on me, his brown eyes swimming with knowledge.

"Sit, miss..."

"Ace." My voice was flat. Chiron nodded, almost to himself. "Ace..Yes. What a wonderful name."

I don't answer, instead sinking into the faded blue sofa in front of the fireplace. My posture is stiff, almost disrespectful, but thats what that pony-man deserves. I hate being surprised, embarrassed, or surprised. By the way, I hate being surprised.

Will returned with the chair just before the silence got awkward. Chiron sighed, nodding. A button, a few beeps, and a whole lot of folding leather later, he was nothing but a regular man with a blanket over his legs- Human legs.

Chiron studied me, but his gaze was gentle. "So, child." He took a deep breath. "Do you know of the Greek Gods?"

My lips twisted in disgust. I'd never taken Greek. "Sure. Zeus, Poseidon, those dopes?"

Thunder rumbled overhead, making the weapons rattle on the walls. Chiron pressed his lips together in a frown. "I'd be careful what you say here, Miss Ace. The gods do not take insults lightly."

I bare my teeth. "You say that like they're real."

This time, the thunder is so loud Seymour the leopard's growling is drowned out completely. An axe spills off its nail and lands with a thump, the end having imbedded itself straight into the wooden floor.

I look at the axe and shift my gaze again, feeling suddenly very small. "I-I meant...You say that like they're right here," I manage.

Will leans forward, his hands clasped and his blue eyes wide with what looks like genuine concern. "They _are_ here, Ace. They're everywhere in American culture; All these buildings, languages, even this camp itself is all based on the gods." His voice is soft, like he's afraid I'll get angry.

That's exactly what happens. I clench my fists and turn a smoldering glare on him, snapping, "They're- They can't be real. Scientists would of- would of _found_ them, or something. And Greece sure isn't in New York."

It was Chiron's turn to talk. He gave a deep sigh, like he'd heard this argument many times before. "Ace, the Gods...They move wherever their belief, their influence, is strongest. They've been to Europe, to Greece, of course; And now they're here, in America."

I open my mouth for a retort, but he beats me to it. "Look around you, child. The buildings in Washington; The Olympics; Even our own customs are all based on the entity of the gods."

My head starts to pound, and I lean forward, my shoulders hunched. "Fine. Say they're real. That doesn't explain why- Why you _abducted_ me. Twice."

Will's brow furrows slightly. "Ace, it's not...It's not abducting. We took care of you. You saw what I was doing- that's healing. My father- he's Apollo, the god of healing."

My eye twitched. I forced myself to meet his gaze, but it was so full, so innocent, that I turned back to glaring at the fire. "You're telling me the gods- the champions of all mythology e _ver-_ run around having kids with 'mortals'?"

"Think about it, Ace. It's...It's not the first time, is it? In Greek mythology, aren't the gods always chasing one woman or another? Nymphs, other gods, even mortals like us?"

I know he's right, but I can't bring myself to say it. Instead, I clench my jaw so tight it aches. "Go on."

"Ace, when..When a god and a mortal have a kid, they're called half bloods. That's us. We're..We have _some_ ichor in our veins; Some power. Most of us can control water, or earth, or even do magic. It depends on who your godly parent is."

"Yeah? So who's mine?" I glanced up from glaring at the floorboards, staring him straight in the eye. _"_ _Who is it?"_

Will's eyebrows push together and he breaks the staring contest first, frowning. "We don't know yet," He muttered.

I stand abruptly, nearly flipping the entire couch. "I'm going outside. We've talked, right? _Bye._ " I storm out of the room, chased by the growls of Seymour.

Once I'm on the porch, I tip my head back, inhaling the fresh summer breeze that hints strawberries. The scent relaxes me for some reason, and I let my shoulders slump.

"Hey...Ace?"

I flinch, then glare over my shoulder. "What do you want, Will?"

He squints in the sun, and it reflects off his eyes, making them sparkle. I stare at him for a moment. _He looks like Reid._

 _Where'd_ that _come from?_

"Every month, we have this- this..It's like a game, but its for war. We usually do capture the flag or paintball. Since the Romans have united with us, it's been, er...A bit more diverse."

"What does this have to do with me?" I keep glaring at him- I know I'm being a little kid, but I'm naturally stubborn.

Was I imagining it, or did his cheeks turn pink in the light of the sun? "It's just...Well, everyone's supposed to play. Especially newcomers. It's, like...A way to determine your parent. You know, if you're good with water, or trees, or a bow or whatever..." He trailed off, letting that sink in.

I hunch my shoulders. "So if I play, whoever it is will claim me?" He opens his mouth to protest, but I snap, "Good. When does it start?"

"Tonight."

There's an awkward silence between the two of us. He stares at me, and I have to look away under those azure-blue eyes. His blonde hair is pure gold in the light.

"W-Whatever. Thanks." I trip over my words, then leap down the staircase and power-walk it out of there before it can get any more charged.

 _Unknown's POV_

The girl in front of me- Amber- leads me through one simple room after another until I see a square of light ahead. I shuffle forward, squinting.

She glanced over her shoulder to make sure I'm following, and for some reason there's a mischevious glint in her eye. She slips outside and then waits for me to follow, her green gaze bright.

Okay, I've seen some pretty sweet views before. California is all glittering lakes, green forests, and sharp hills, but that was _nothing_ compared to what I saw.

The sun bathed everything in a warm golden glow. Paved stone streets weaved in and out of sight, trailing over hills and around white-stone fountains that spewed water clearer then glass. Off to the side sat the shops; Several hooded, striped tents bursting with ripe fruits, cloaks, and even swords. My head swam with the pure _beauty_ of it. Marble domes lined with silver and gold towered above the city, spiraling towards the sky like they were trying to touch the gods themselves. Golden arches glimmered overhead, and a wall stretched outward as far as I could see, patterned with swirling runes.

My expression must of been priceless, because Amber laughed, stretching out her hand like she was advertising a paradise. "Welcome to Rome, dork."

She was pretty when she smiled. I noticed the way her hair caught the light, turning it a warm honey-brown; They way her green eyes sparkled with warmth. I hadn't ever seen her laugh before. It was kind of nice.

I didn't tell her that, of course. Instead, I blurted, "Wasn't Rome in Europe?"

Her smile curls into a know-it-all smirk. "It _was._ But the cities change with the gods; Wherever _we_ are." She points around her, to all the people milling about; Strollers, teenagers, even one or two elders. "This _is_ Rome, just in a different place. America has been pretty obsessed with the gods for the past few decades; government buildings, statues in New York..They're everywhere. Most of us aren't directly descended from the gods; We're second or third generation, like me. But we still have _true_ Roman blood in our bodies." Her eyes shine fiercely with pride.

My brain throbs with all the information. _The gods are real. There are others like me- an entire city of them._

Her expression softens, as if she knows how I feel. "Come on. We'll catch something to eat and then I'll take you to Jason. He'll fill you in."

I swallow, hard, and nod. I don't know why, but my eyes burn. I'm just so glad to know I'm not alone- that I'm not the only one that sees monsters, that has dreams of glowing eyes in the dark. She stares at me for a moment, looking pained- But before I can even ask her what's wrong she spins on her heel and jogs off, her hair fanning out behind her.

And so I'm left to follow her.

 **Hi, guys! Sorry, this chapter was a little boring. No fighting, right? Oh well! Actually, this story is going a really different direction then I'd planned...Oh well. Please, please review! It makes me so happy to read all those comments, criticism and all!**


	8. Chapter 8

**Hi guys! So, I'm changing my writing style a lil' bit. Instead of saying, 'She says,' I'm gonna say, 'She said,' just to make it easier to understand. Also, feel free to PM me with any ideas for the story, or even if you want your own OC in the story. (I ALSO NEED A PLOT. HELP. I'M STALLING HERE. T-T) Anyway, read and review!**

 _Digit's POV (Don't worry, she's a new character)_

I stand back to back with Jonas, tossing my dagger from hand to hand, strands of blonde hair drifting in front of my eyes. I'm guarding the flag, my hazel eyes alert for any movement- Just the slightest rustle in the trees or dirt on the ground. Behind me, Jonas is humming to himself, his blood-red sword in one hand and shield in the other.

"Where are they?" He muttered, scratching random designs in the earth with his blade. "Annabeth said they'd be here by now, and she's _never_ wrong."

I fight the urge to roll my eyes, instead letting my dagger spin on my finger before slipping it into its sheath. "Don't worry. They'll get here eventually. They're probably..Fighting, or something." Its a lame excuse, but I just want him to shut up.

The leaves above me twitch- Just the slightest stir. My head snaps up and I take a step back until my armor clanks against Jonas's. "Hey.."

 _Whoosh._ An arrow whips past me, gleaming silver as it imbeds itself in the tree behind me with a _thunk._ I roll my shoulders and call, "You missed!"

I spoke too soon. From the darkness a girl hurtles towards me, her foot aimed towards my face. I realize the arrow is a grappling hook and I lunge to one side just as her iron-cleaved boot whizzes past me, literally blowing my hair from my face. She tackles the tree and races straight up it like a vampire, and then she's gone.

Besides me, Jonas curses in Greek. "You jinxed us!"

"It's an Apollo thing!" I snap back, then muscle him out of the way as another arrow flies past. This one ends up in the dirt, wreathed in green-ish smoke. I stare at it quizzically, and by the time I realize what it is my vision is blurry.

"N-No fair! Chiron said no fart bombs!" I squeak, as the green smoke clouds up, swirling around us like mist. I nearly choke on the taste, then clap a hand over my mouth and glance over my shoulder. Jonas is out cold, his sword still strapped over his back.

Five or six girls materialize from the smoke, rushing past me like ninjas. I stare at them in shock, then whirl around and bring my arm forward, sending a dagger hurtling towards a girl with dark brown hair. She turns around just in time, lurching to one side. It spins past her and then disappears into the fog.

My face twists in rage. _"Amyna! Mazevo!"_

As if by magic, a girl with a brown pixie cut and amber eyes hurls herself at one of the girls. They go down in a flurry of punches and curses, then roll out of sight.

All around me, war breaks out. Campers in orange and purple alike throw themselves at the invaders, and the forest erupts in the clangs of metal on metal and the sharp zing of arrows whistling through the air. Besides me, a boy with blonde hair and blue-green eyes appears, his sword in one hand and a silly grin on his face. "Too bad Amazons don't understand Greek, eh?"

"I'm surprised the Romans did," I mutter, ducking as an arrow zips over my head. He only grins, running a hand through his hair and glancing around as if its all fun and games- which, technically, it is. Then he's gone again, melting into the crowd.

Next a young girl- maybe ten- materializes next to me, her blue eyes bright. "Can we steal their flag? Can we _please?_ I bet they're too busy fighting to guard!" She has a slight lisp, and her helmet hangs over her eyes- She keeps pushing it up with one hand and gripping her sword with the other, which drags on the ground.

I hesitate. "How about...You stay here? We need all the defense we've got. They're very skilled, and...Uh..I bet you could really turn the tide." I've never been good with children, but the little girl seems to buy it. She gives me a thumbs up and then she, too, disappears into the mist.

Meanwhile, I decide to follow her advice- Weaving through the fighting, ducking and occasionally staggering to one side as a pair rolls past me as if they're in a catfight. At one point someone launches themselves at me, and all I catch is a hint of black hair and blue eyes before I duck, my dagger in one hand and bow in the other. She sails over my head and I whip around as another force slams into her in midair, sending them both crashing to the ground. They both grapple each other and the green fog swallows them up.

I narrowly avoid a stray axe that whirls past my head, imbedding itself in a pine with a _thunk._ Almost immediately, a girl melts from the bark, dressed in a shimmering dress of greens and browns- her face is twisted with anger and her fists are clenched. _"My tree, you filthy Amazons! You hear me? MY TREE!"_ With that she hurls a pinecone into the air. I glance behind me just in time to see a girl crumple to the ground.

From there I stray until the fighting fades to the occasional war cry, maybe a thump. Finally, I stop when I hear the sounds of the river- a roaring sound that slams against the cliff so hard I can hear small pebbles skittering away into its tides.

A single bridge- the standard, swinging rope kind- spans the gap to the other side. I'm just placing my foot on the plank when a silver arrow whooshes past my face, so close the feathers manage to leave a stray mark on my cheek. Whoever had sent _t_ _hat_ must of had excellent aim if they could be so close on their mark in this mist.

I make my way across the bridge carefully from then on, sticking to the left side, gripping the rope in my hand. I scuttle sideways like a crab to keep my balance, staring down at my feet and occasionally glancing up to make sure I'm not about to be skewered by another arrow. I clench my dagger tightly in my left hand, rubbing my thumb along the bottom of the blade. I'm breathing heavily, and my eyes water from the fart bomb. My fingers slip again and again on the rope, and I have to force myself to calm down, to take deep breaths and to _ignore_ the sounds of the river raging below.

 _"For Artemis!"_ A girl speeds past me like a deer, a silver bow in one hand and a bandana tied tight around her head. She barely notices me as she races across- Leaping from board to board like she's been born for agility. In moments she's shrouded by the fog.

I swallow, hard, and make the last few steps across. The boards creek and groan under my weight, swaying in the wind that has accompanied the fog. Suddenly I'm sure that the fart bomb couldn't have possibly have lasted this long or this far, though I guess I should of figured that out a lot earlier.

I slide onto firm earth, relieved. My limbs are shaking and my fingers ache from having held the rope so long- my boots are caked in mud and a fine amount of water. I trudge forward, mud squishing beneath my boots. The pine trees have given away to a barren land- a few roots here and there, maybe a bush. It's so completely eerie that I keep my dagger in one hand the entire time, my heart stumbling- but my expression is set with determination. The Greeks have lost to the Hunters fifty-seven times, and what with them having been paired with the Amazons, I'm certainly not willing to make it fifty-eight. We have the Romans on our side, but our fighting styles are so completely different we split into two; Offense and defense. I suppose that that means I should be guarding the flag, but I'm not one to pass up a golden opportunity- especially not when I see the look on Thalia's face when she realizes her group has been defeated for the first time e _ver._

The mist here clings to my skin, just cold enough to make the hairs on the back of my neck stand straight up like a cat's. I sweep my golden hair from my face, my breathing ragged. I keep wiping my dagger on my shirt, fumbling with the hilt, my gaze flicking back and forth nervously. I know full well it's nothing like the Amazons- Or the Hunters- to be so.. _Defenseless._

Off to my right, gravel crunches. I whirl around and before whoever it is can speak I have them pinned- One knee on their lower stomach and my dagger at their neck. The body beneath me tenses, then goes limp, but I only add on the pressure, until they're spluttering for breath. "-Digit," They gasp.

I peer closer and can just make out a mop of dark blonde hair and those playful green eyes. I curse and shove Reid to one side, sheathing my dagger and rubbing my chilly arms.

" _Gods,_ Reid. Don't you know not to sneak up on me?" I demanded, waving my hand and gesturing around me. "This mist is creepy enough. You don't have to go trying to scare me out of my armor!"

The son of Poseidon sits up, rubbing one hand on his throat and making a face at me. "It's not my fault you're so _sensitive._ I figured you'd try to take the flag, and all I wanted to do was help."

My expression turns stony. "You mean steal all the glory for _your_ cabin," I hiss, clenching one fist. He scoots back a bit, narrowing his eyes, his lips pulling into a little pout.

"Come on, now, Digit. I'm not _that_ vain. You can run the flag across as many times as you want. I just wanted to _help._ " His brows draw together.

A girl staggers forward, her amber eyes dazed. She has a wild, completely uncombed pixie cut and her helmet has been knocked clean off. She stammers a curse when she notices me, but by then its too late- I have my dagger to her neck, except this time she's pressed against me, her back to my stomach and my elbow pressed against her neck.

"If you're going to call your buddies, think again," I murmur. She tenses beneath me, then exhales through her nose. I can't see her expression, but I swear she rolled her eyes.

"I'm _Greek,_ idiot. I followed that one." She stabs a finger towards Reid, but I use my other hand to trap her arms to her side. I can feel her shoulders go rock-hard with anger.

"Reid, she with us?" He'd been fiddling with his armor straps. Now, he looks up, and he wrinkles his nose. "Yeah. She's the one we found at that school, remember?"

"What, the one that ran away?"

"Yeah. Solace fixed her up, but I guess his efforts were wasted, eh?" He stares at her, and I do too. She's covered in shallow scratches, she's breathing hard, and obviously out of shape. I push her away from me, but don't sheath my weapon this time.

She flexes her shoulders and casts me a dark glare. " _She's_ right here. Do you want me to help or not?"

I don't, not really. Newbies are always the worst- always asking questions, lagging behind. But she's managed to follow me- or Reid- all the way here, so I shrug one shoulder.

"Whatever. You can follow behind, scout or whatever. It's..I'm off for the flag."

I'm just about to take a step when I hear a long, low moan- not the one of a monster, but of a conch horn. Reid's head snapped up, and the girl comes to attention, too, clenching her fists, her eyes wide.

"That's the horn for game over," I mutter. "But..."

"No one's captured the flag. I checked. They're still fighting."

 _Why would Chiron end the game? Is someone hurt? But then, wouldn't the Roman eagles have helped them?_

"Maybe the camp's in trouble," The girl murmurs. Her amber gaze is fixed on a point in the distance, where the sound came from. I shake out of my trance, strapping my dagger to my thigh.

"It doesn't matter. We have to go back to camp. Chiron- He doesn't like it when we ignore the rules."

I take a step forward, then another, following the sounds of the river. I hear the shifting of gravel as the two follow me- The girl is completely silent, but the boy hums under his breath. I try to ignore them both, occasionally scooping up stones in one hand and throwing them to make sure we don't accidently fall off a cliff.

Soon enough the sound of the river is loud enough that I can stop throwing pebbles. I wipe my hand on my jeans and take another hesitant step before straining onto my toes- peeking over the side of the cliff that I'm sure is there.

For a second, something's wrong. I glance around, but I don't know what it is, until the girl behind me makes a strangled sound in the back of her throat, clutching her stomach with one hand.

I glance back at her, my brow furrowed, then follow her gaze. It dawns on me slowly, and she studies me- waiting for my reaction. When I finally realize what's wrong, I feel like holding my own stomach, because I think I might just throw up. Behind me, Reid curses softly under his breath in Ancient Greek, and I can hear him swallow from a meter away.

The bridge is gone.


	9. Author's Note

**I'm sorry to disappoint. I know that angry feeling when you see another chapter, only to realize that..IT'S AN AUTHOR'S NOTE!  
Guys, I'm restarting the story.**

 **-waits to be destroyed-**

 **Okay, let me continue. I hate how this story started out, to be honest. It was supposed to go a completely different direction. I mean, I GUESS I could try to work with it...**

 **I don't know. I...Uh, I just need a plot. Or, I have one, but it won't go with the chapters I've already written. Unless I do a little messing around with some ideas?**

 **Anyway, I'll update soon..Whether it's a new chapter or an old one!**


	10. Guys, I'm Sorry

Hi. So, guys, I've started a different story called 'Dangerous Games Indeed'. This one is in the HG world; Why did I do HG, you ask, when I said I would restart my demigod one? Well, its because HG stories don't require plots. You go on the arena, you fight a bit, people die, you come out a winner. I knew I wouldn't need a plot so I decided I could work with it.

I'm sorry to say I will _not_ be restarting this story, at least not anytime soon. Over the last...Month, two months? I've gotten some ideas, but then those have been forgotten and shoved in the back of my mind because what with this new HG story I don't have time for them. I feel horrible, because I hadn't updated in a while, and I just realized how many people actually read/liked that story, and how many people reviewed. I'm so sorry that I disappointed you guys so greatly.

I've also improved my writing, more or less. I noticed that a lot of comments were saying how I'd switch from past tense to present tense, which I didn't notice till you guys told me (Thanks for notifying me of that by the way, guys) And I tried to fix it. In this new story, I'm working with present tense, and I've even began re-editing my stories so I can check fro those present/past tense mix ups. I don't know if you guys want to check on my story or not, (the new one), but if you don't, that's fine. I guess I wouldn't either.

I'd like to thank all those people that reviewed. It made me super-happy and super-sad at the same time, like I realize how much people actually enjoyed my story and now can't do that anymore and at the same time, how many people I've disappointed. All I can say for all you awesome people is I am _very, very sorry._

I just want you guys to know how really sorry I am. I failed you all, including myself, with that story. I made a lot of mistakes, including _not_ planning the actual story, and the whole 'tense' thing, etc. I'm trying to improve but I know I can still do better.

I'm so sorry.


End file.
